Apple

Microsoft and Apple: The roof tile analogy

Roof tile? That's over on aisle 9.

Stretch the analogy a bit. Windows tablets? They're on aisle 9, next to the laptop bags.

I could stretch the analogy even more, where the buyer gets lost amid a sea of generic Spanish roof tiles like Tom Anderson (the early version of Hank Hill) at Home Labyrinth.

Nobody has to ask that question about the iPad. It's front and center at the Apple store.

So, Redmond needs the Microsoft Store -- or similar boutique storefronts where its product can stand out.

This was confirmed for me on Friday when more

Apple seeks iPad3.com domain name

Officially, there is no iPad 3. When Apple introduced the third iteration of its tablet computer, the company referred to it as 'the new iPad.' Now DomainWire reports that while Apple does not own the iPad3.com domain name, it has filed with a case with the World Intellectual Property Organization, under the uniform domain name dispute resolution policy. A company called Global Access in Isle of Man currently owns the domain, according to the post.

MacRumors notes that Apple last month gained control of the iPhone5.com domain.

As the usual caveat goes, Apple has bought up or taken more

MobileMe, a rare Apple screwup, finally bites the dust

Come Sunday, Apple will make good on a year-old promise: MobileMe, its paid cloud sync and storage service, will go dark.

That means files that users have stored on the service -- as well as the sites they have published through Apple's iWeb software -- are going to disappear as well.

MobileMe users ought not to be surprised. The very same day that it named a replacement service, Apple said it would be closing up MobileMe. Since then, the company has steadily nudged people toward migrating their accounts to iCloud, which opened up last October.

Apple declined to comment more

Virgin Mobile starts selling Apple's iPhone 4, iPhone 4S

As promised, Virgin Mobile has started selling Apple's iPhone to its prepaid customers.

Customers looking to get their hands on the device can opt for the 8GB iPhone 4 or the 16GB iPhone 4S. The former will set customers back $550, while the iPhone 4S will cost $650. As one might expect, based on those prices, they come with no contract and no fees for activation.

Virgin Mobile announced earlier this month that it would start carrying Apple's iPhone. The company says that it's available to prepaid customers with its Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans, more

Google: Yes, Chrome is crashing MacBooks

After reports surfaced of its Chrome browser causing crashes on some of Apple's new MacBook systems, Google has publicly acknowledged the issue, claiming a workaround is immediately available and a true fix is in the works.

Owners of Apple's new MacBook Air had been experiencing persistent kernel panics on their systems, which after investigation were found to be rooted in actions like closing tabs and otherwise managing windows in Google's Chrome Web browser. Unfortunately, being kernel panics, the crashes did not just close the browser, but caused the entire system to require rebooting.

In a statement to Gizmodo, more

Foxconn, Sharp eying Apple big-screen TV, says parts maker

Foxconn aims to use its investment in Sharp to land orders for Apple's upcoming large-screen TV -- so the ongoing speculation goes.

The latest guesswork comes from Asia Ho Chao-yang, former president of Chimei Innolux, Taiwan's largest LCD maker, and current chairman of Chi Mei Materials Technology, who concludes that Foxconn Electronics' investment in Sharp is a play to "secure iTV orders from Apple," according to Taipei-based DigiTimes.

Ho added that the launch of an iTV would benefit polarizer makers, of which Chi Mei Materials is one.

This is by no means the first time that Foxconn-Sharp theory more

Five years of the iPhone

Five years ago today, at exactly 6 p.m. in each time zone, the original Apple iPhone went on sale in the United States. At the time I was outside the Apple store in downtown San Francisco witnessing tech history being made. And even though I've been to scores of other product launches since June 29, 2007, I can still recall the day vividly.

Editors' note: This story was originally published on June 29, 2011, but has been updated with the iPhone 4S.

The sidewalk in front of the Stockton Street store that evening was absolutely mobbed and a line of eager buyers stretched around the corner and out of sight. Indeed, as I was waiting to pick up our review model, I was nearly flattened against the store's glass wall when the enormous crowd began to surge toward the entrance.

Finally, as the magic hour struck and the doors opened, a line of applauding employees welcomed the first buyers. The line began to cheer "iPhone!, iPhone!" and a few minutes the first guy exited with his handset held high. I quickly sneaked inside to pick mine up and then hurried back to CNET's office with Donald Bell for a long night of writing the review (relive our review in real time!). Yet, that was after Brian Cooley got to take it out of the box on video.

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Retail sales of pricey ultrabooks up, vie with MacBook

Sales of pricey ultrabooks are up at retailers, a market research firm said, indicating that skinny laptops may be competing directly with Apple's MacBook line.

First, the bad news: the overall Windows market for notebook PC sales at retail fell by 17 percent in the first five months of the year, according to Stephen Baker, an NPD Group analyst, who published a research note Thursday.

The good news: sales of ultrabooks -- thin, light laptops that compete with the MacBook Air -- are up in the premium market segment. more

Apple's senior hardware chief Bob Mansfield to retire

Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering Bob Mansfield is retiring, the company said today.

Mansfield, who has been with Apple since 1999, will be replaced by Dan Riccio, Apple's current vice president of iPad hardware engineering.

"Bob has been an instrumental part of our executive team, leading the hardware engineering organization and overseeing the team that has delivered dozens of breakthrough products over the years," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. "We are very sad to have him leave and hope he enjoys every day of his retirement."

Apple says the transition from Mansfield to more